Does it matter if you curl with your arm in front or behind?
Comparison Between Shoulder Flexed and Extended Positions in Elbow Flexion Resistance Training on Regional Hypertrophy and Maximum Strength: Preacher versus Bayesian Cable Curls
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a healthcare professional. Terms
Surprising Findings
Shoulder extension (lengthening the biceps) didn’t produce more growth—even though prior research suggested longer muscle lengths = better hypertrophy.
Studies on quads and hamstrings show clear benefits to training at longer lengths, so scientists expected the same for biceps. This study flips that assumption.
Practical Takeaways
Choose your bicep curl variation based on comfort, joint health, or preference—not because one is 'scientifically superior.'
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a healthcare professional. Terms
Surprising Findings
Shoulder extension (lengthening the biceps) didn’t produce more growth—even though prior research suggested longer muscle lengths = better hypertrophy.
Studies on quads and hamstrings show clear benefits to training at longer lengths, so scientists expected the same for biceps. This study flips that assumption.
Practical Takeaways
Choose your bicep curl variation based on comfort, joint health, or preference—not because one is 'scientifically superior.'
Publication
Journal
European Journal of Sport Science
Year
2025
Authors
Parsa Attarieh, João Pedro Nunes, Saeed Khani, Saman Negahdar, Amirali Goli, Hamed Nazarirad, Shahriar Nazarirad, S. Mojtahedi, K. Nosaka, R. Soori
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Claims (6)
Your bicep doesn't grow more at the top, middle, or bottom no matter how you do the curl — it grows evenly all along its length.
If you do the same amount of work with your arm in front or behind you, you'll get just as strong at lifting heavy weights — the position doesn't matter.
If you use the same weight and do the same number of reps, it doesn't matter if you curl with your arm in front or behind you — what matters is just doing it consistently and getting stronger over time.
Doing bicep curls with your arm in front of your body or behind your body gives you the same muscle growth and strength gains if you're using the same amount of weight and doing the same number of reps.
The muscle underneath your bicep gets just as strong and big whether you curl with your arm in front or behind you.